Aspirin-a-day Therapy Questioned
Heart Remedy only for those with Cardiovascular Disease
Nov 3, 2009
People who have had heart attacks or strokes are frequently put on what’s called a secondary prevention program of taking a single low-dose (75 milligrams) aspirin daily. This has been shown to be effective in reducing the likelihood of another cardiovascular episode.
Aspirin Taken as Preventative by Healthy People
According to The Telegraph (November 3, 2009), “Millions of people, including a significant number of ‘worried well,’ are believed to take (aspirin) daily to protect their heart.”
Now, Dr. Ike Iheanacho, the editor of The Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) in the United Kingdom has carried out a review of studies. As a result of what he found he is advising heart-healthy people to stop the practice, advice that has been endorsed by Britain’s Royal College of General Practitioners.
Benefits of Aspirin Offset by Dangers
A study published in The Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin (November 3, 2009) says the benefits of taking low-dose aspirin daily among patients who have no obvious heart problems is more than outweighed by the increased likelihood of internal bleeding.
The Telegraph says a study earlier in 2009 found that the benefits of taking aspirin in people without cardiovascular problems were minimal: “But the drug did almost double their chances of being admitted to hospital with internal bleeding.”
Dr. Iheanacho is quoted as saying, “When you talk about stomach bleeding it can sound trivial but it is a killer if it is severe enough and as deadly as having a heart attack or stroke.
“The risks should not be dismissed.”
The DTB reports this result came from six trials that involved 95,000 patients and that was published in the medical journal The Lancet on May 30, 2009.
Only Slight Heart Attack Reduction
According to the study published in The Lancet, researchers found that a daily dose of ASA only cut the likelihood of a fatal heart attack or stroke by 0.07 percent, in otherwise healthy people. This was based on following 2,000 study subjects for six-and-a-half years.
Dr. Iheanacho reviewed two other studies that involved patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Again, those who took Aspirin on a daily basis had the same cardiovascular outcomes as those who did not.
At Risk Patients should Continue Taking Aspirin
Globe and Mail reporter Dakshana Bascaramurty interviewed (November 3, 2009) Dr. Beth Abramson, a Toronto cardiologist and spokeswoman for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. According to the newspaper, “she’s concerned by the over-the-counter availability of Aspirin, because many individuals self-prescribe the drug without needing it.”
However, Dr. Abramson says she continues to prescribe low-dose ASA for people with high risk factors for cardiovascular disease; these include age, family history, smokers, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. “I recommend it for people who are moderate to high risk,” she said.
However, physicians continue to stress that exercise and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low fats provide good protection against cardiovascular disease.
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